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A Summer Guide to the Best Poolside Affairs

Photo Courtesy of Miami Beach Magazine

Whether local or tourist, there is no better way to spend a Floridian summer day than poolside in Miami with some good eats and a fruity drink. From the South Beach luxury poolside experience at the rooftop of the Perry Hotel to the diamond in the rough "pool"side Lou's Beer Garden, and the future elegance and intriguing Hyde Beach at the SLS, there are a lot of options for your sunbathing/site-seeing getaway. Here's where to go:

Surfcomber%20-%206312.jpg 1) Surfcomber Hotel
Where:1717 Collins Ave
What: When it comes to poolside food, The Surfcomber might have everyone else on South Beach beat. Featuring the craft of chef Freddy Ortiz, the Lantao Sand Bar serves up some of the best Asian food on the beach, think a banh mi "Miami" style with beef and pork belly, charred fish tacos and Korean barbecue pork ribs. Ortiz also mixes up the drinks with such concoctions as a "frozen passionate kiss", a combination of a leblon cacacha, leblon cedilla and passion fruit, and a Singapore sling, with gin, cherry heering, benedictine and fresh lime juice.

Perry%20-%206312.jpg 2) Perry Hotel
Where: 2377 Collins Ave.
What: While no one goes for the food, any list about South Beach pools has to include Perry Hotel's rooftop. The rooftop features a 26,000 square foot oasis with VIP cabanas decked out with flat screen TVs and a pool measuring 110 feet with a underwater sound system. For the fourth year, every Saturday at noon kicks off another Rx Pool Party, featuring everything you would expect from a South Beach pool party. If you were incline to dine, the Perry Rooftop features standard pool fare from sushi to wraps and if all else fails you can crawl to STK in the hotel.

Lous%20-%206312.jpg3) Lou's Beer Garden
Where: 7337 Harding Ave.
What: Completely unlike anything else on this list, Lou's Beer Garden features a pool more likely to be found in your neighbor's backyard than on a Best of Miami list. But where Lou's misses in scenery, they make up in food and drink, recently being named one of Esquire's Best Bars in America. With a large list of craft beers to wash everything down, the menu at Lou's features hand crafted thin crust pizzas and a juicy eight oz. Wagyu burger. Lou's also offers a beer brunch with a selection of eggs and such paired with a craft beer to properly start your morning.

WET_W_South_Beach.jpg 4) W South Beach
Where: 2201 Collins Ave.
What: While not as popular as it's L.A. counterpart, the W Hotel's WET provides guests a luxurious pool packed with VIP treatment, from private cabanas, flat screen TVs, and even a personal sunblocker. When it comes to food, poolside WET Bar & Grill offers the typical poolside menu, albeit with South Beach prices, of wraps, sandwiches and tuna tartar. Serious eaters will sneak inside to Andrew Carmellini's The Dutch for a blue crab pizzette or a B.E.L.T. sandwich of pork belly, egg, lettuce and heirloom tomato. The Dutch is open for lunch from noon to 4 p.m. as well as for breakfast starting at 7:30.

Delano%20-%206312.jpg 5) Delano Hotel
Where: 1605 Collins Ave
What: Just yesterday, the folks at The Delano, with the help of former Heat player/international DJ Rony Seikaly, launched the White Rabbit Pool Party, running every Sunday starting at noon. Along with the scenery, the Delano's Bianca, led by chef Brian Massie, serves their Italian Sunday brunch, priced at $55 a person. The feast includes your standard brunch breakfast of omelets, waffles and eggs along with selections from Umi Sushi Bar, a Carving Station of prime rib and an array of Bianca's homemade pastas. And most importantly, a complimentary Bianca bellini.

FB%20-%206312.jpg6) Fontainebleau
Where: 4441 Collins Ave.
What: Boasting one of the most beautiful hotels on South Beach, the Fontainebleau knows luxury with six pools and a 40,000 square foot spa. Overlooking the pools and beach, La Cote Restaurant channels the French Riviera with a variety of upscale Mediterranean dishes, including vegetable pissaladiere, chicken paillard sandwich, and mahi mahi bouillabaise. DJs spin at La Cote Thursday through the weekend, starting at 3 p.m. Diners looking for a bit more formal post pool party meal, the likes of Gotham Steak, Hakkasan and Scarpetta fit the bill.

SLS%20South%20Beach%20-%206312.jpg7) SLS Hotel
Where: 1701 Collins Ave.
What: With the SLS slated to debut in a couple of weeks, one can only imagine the poolside scene as they bring Hyde Lounge to South Beach. With over 8,000 square feet dedicated to the sun, Hyde Beach will have plenty of lounge space to admire the views, including ten poolside bungalows. And concerning cuisine, Celebrity chef Jose Andres is responsible for all the food and beverages at SLS and is surely the perfect complement to the exquisite designs of Philippe Starck. The menus are currently being developed but expect highly creative dishes such as taztziki endives to snack on in your bungalow.

The Dutch

2201 Collins Avenue, , FL 33139 (305) 938-3111 Visit Website

Bianca At Delano Miami

1685 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139